Patrick Beverley gives Clippers fans an idea of his future moves
By Will Eudy
There is a short list of players that will always be beloved by LA Clippers fans, and Patrick Beverley has to be at or near the top of it. During the second half of the 2010s and early part of the 2020s, Beverley brought a fire and intensity to the Clippers' locker room that spilled over to the rest of the roster and gave them a mental edge that was hard to quantify.
Now, Beverley has left the NBA and is playing with Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. in Israel. He has had an eventful season thus far, averaging nine points and 3.3 assists per game while shooting a red-hot 47% from three-point range.
Recently, Pat spoke up to provide some insight into what his future playing career might look like. Many have speculated he could eventually return to competing in the NBA, and he served to clear up these rumors.
Speaking on his podcast on Wednesday, Beverley filled Clippers fans in on the most recent situation regarding his team in Israel. Hapoel's starting center, Jonathan Motley, surprised everyone when he announced he no longer felt safe and had opted to leave the club.
Pat Bev has received calls from NBA teams
This was especially alarming to Patrick Beverley, who agreed to join Hapoel in part because of Motley's presence. "Our leading scorer, the best big man in EuroCup wants to go to a Euroleague team in Serbia," said Beverley. "So now we're just out here with no big man, just like, 'okay, where do we go from here?' "
With that development, many started to wonder if Pat's long-term plans in Israel could be in jeopardy. He revealed that a few teams had reached out to him, inquiring about his availability. "Some NBA teams called, they told me I can't say who," Beverley said. "Euroleague teams called, Real Madrid called, a couple other Euroleague teams out there."
As he began to juggle thoughts in his head, Pat came to a dilemma which he has yet to resolve. He went to Israel to play with Motley specifically, but he does not want to desert his teammates. Clippers fans know that would not be in character for him.
"I've been thinking a lot," he said. "What's the next move, what to do, what to not do. Do I go back to the NBA? If I go back to the NBA, do I turn my back on my teammates? That's not my style. I don't operate like that. I'm in it for the long run." It does not seem like Beverley is eager to leave just yet. But if he opts to depart, Clipper nation could see him back in the league in short order.